Just Sayin’

How did that quote go I saw a few days ago? “My mind is like my web browser. Nineteen tabs are open, three are frozen and I have no idea where the music is coming from.”

I felt that. Especially after the colossal mom fail I experienced that very same day.

My daughter’s music teacher emailed to let us parents know that the fourth-grade school play would be happening on a certain date. Immediately, I put the date on the calendar on my phone. Months passed, over which time I helped my daughter practice her lines, purchased her costume and looked forward to watching her stage performance.

In the meantime, my mom called and asked my family to fly to Maryland to surprise my sister for her 50th birthday. We’d leave on a Thursday and come home Sunday. We’d just pull the kids from school for a couple of days. Perfect! I looked at the calendar and it almost seemed too good to be true; all clear! Not even a soccer game! We booked our flights.

Cut to me, picking up my daughter after school the other day when she informed me that her music teacher was furious because she wouldn’t be at school for the school play. I looked at my calendar and I didn’t see it. In my mind, it wasn’t even happening for a couple more weeks. Long story short, it WAS on my calendar—2022. I don’t even know how I managed to do that.

I panicked. Mega mom fail. I worried my daughter would hate me and remind me for the rest of our lives about that time Mom screwed up and she missed her school play! Bigger than that, I felt sick to my stomach about the situation and how it would affect her music teacher and the other students who’d worked so hard. 

I lost sleep. I fretted. I talked about the situation on my radio show and asked for parenting advice! And then I took a deep breath. I slowed down. I looked at the calendar again and realized our flight wasn’t leaving until 1:00 p.m. The play was happening at 9:00 a.m. that same morning. There was no crisis. There was just a mom going 1,000 miles per hour doing 1,000 things at the same time, just like that quote I mentioned.

Moral of this mom tale? There will be failures. We have to give ourselves some grace. If you’re like me at all, you’re doing way too much all of the time. I know that I need to slow down. I like to think that my heart is in the right place! But, it’s still a work in progress for me to say “no” sometimes, to not overbook myself and to practice self-care. 

This mom life is no joke! With no manual, we’re all winging it! You’re not alone, Mama! Let’s support each other any way we can. ■

Jenny Matthews was on the air at Mix 93.3 for 15 years and recently moved to Q104 to co-host The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar + Jenny Matthews, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. Check out her podcast, Real Life with Jenny Matthews, follow along with her blog and connect at jennymatthewsonair.com.